By Jamie Bradburn

Source: Enesses, 1967.

Given that Mad magazine approached its peak circulation during the late 1960s, it’s not surprising to find that a local high school would look to the humour publication for inspiration when it was time to prepare ads for its yearbook. In 1967, rather than build on the excitement of Canada’s Centennial Year to sell footwear, the advertising designer for Northern Secondary School’s yearbook paid homage to “Mad’s Maddest Artist,” Don Martin. While the man stumbling through a desert where the combination of heat and delirium causes mirages of giant feet to appear is a decent copy of Martin’s style, a critical element is missing: sound effects (feel free to come up with your own).

This ad also provided an excuse for a friend of the former owner of this yearbook to provide commentary on the poor soul’s struggle to find relief for his parched throat. Unfortunately we can’t quite make out the commentator’s name (Marc-Vic? Mari-Vic?), as (a) it’s difficult to decipher his/her name in scribblings elsewhere in the book, and (b) the previous owner clipped out class pictures that may have provided a firm ID.

Source: Enesses, 1969.

The same illustration appeared two years later, sans additional commentary and references to deserts.